Burial or cremation containers, referred to herein collectively as caskets, often represent an expensive element of a traditional funeral. Costs associated with traditional caskets are attributable in part to the material and labor cost of forming a traditional casket of stained wood or finished metal material. Accordingly, one way to reduce casket (and hence funeral) costs includes the use of caskets made from alternative materials, such as paperboard, unfinished wood and composite materials. Such caskets are particularly suitable for cremation, and often provide one of the only viable alternatives in some circumstances.
To keep costs low, the caskets made from alternative materials must be easy to produce, requiring few materials and reduced labor. Additionally, the caskets made from alternative materials must have suitable durability to provide at least the basic functionality of traditional caskets, namely enclosing and supporting the deceased during transportation and presenting the deceased at ceremonies or gatherings.
While making caskets from alternative materials reduces the cost of the casket, it remains desirable to retain an appealing aesthetic appearance of the casket, especially if the casket is to be used in a traditional ceremony and/or viewing. Thus, there exists a need for caskets made from materials that look more like traditional caskets. Several products on the market attempt combine these attributes
One feature of alternative material caskets that can affect the aesthetic appeal is the casket lid. While inexpensive paperboard caskets may use flat, shoebox style lids, such lids typically lack traditional appeal. To have the aesthetic appearance of a traditional casket lid, the casket lid made from alternative materials may include traditional features such as moldings and a domed or vaulted shape. Such a casket lid must be provided in a form which enables the lid to fit over the casket for use and provides an efficient shape to accommodate the deceased within the casket. To function as a traditional casket lid, the casket lid made from alternative materials must have sufficient structural integrity to withstand pressure applied to the top of the casket during use.
There is a need, therefore, for a casket lid formed out of alternative materials that addresses the needs for reduced cost, aesthetically pleasing presentation, and sufficient structural integrity without inherent difficulties associated with known casket lids formed out of alternative materials. It would be advantageous if this casket lid formed out of alternative materials required few materials and reduced labor. It would also be advantageous if this casket lid formed out of alternative materials looked and functioned as a traditional casket lid.